The Act Behind Staying Strict
by BITBIT
Summary: Poppy Pomfrey's unknown and interesting life story. Includes the Maurders, Pre-hogwarts, Hogwarts, Post Hogwarts. If you could, please review. I KNOW THERE ARE SOME POPPY POMFREY FANS OUT THERE!


**Poppy Pomfrey.**  
1. She was named by her father although he did not know it. Her mother's name was Erika Pomfrey. She was a young, wild, and sorely misunderstood Hufflepuff who had conveniently fallen in love with a muggle solider named Christopher. Young and poor he had picked Poppies for Erika on their first date. The two had fallen deeply in love and agreed that when Erika finished her studies that they would marry. Shortly before Poppy was born Erika finished her seventh year at Hogwarts and returned to her lover's small village only to find that he had long gone and died in war. Erika had time to name her daughter before she died in the maternity ward of St. Mungos. The healers could not determine the cause, weather it was loss of strength, loss of will, or loss of love could not be figured.

2. Poppy was raised by her straight-backed grandmother, Theresa Pomfrey, who allowed minimal fun, laughter, and jokes. The two lived a very organized, routine, and strict life in the heart of magical London were Theresa had easy access to L'École des bonnes manières, the manners school for magical children ages five to eleven, which she owned and operated with an iron fist. And although Poppy had attended the school from the time she was old enough to talk she had made few friends, of course that was hard, and for that she had thoroughly hated it.

3. She had met her lifelong best friend, Minerva McGonagall, on the Hogwarts express a few weeks after her eleventh birthday. The complemented each other, while Minerva was tall, skinny, witty Poppy was short, curvy, and caring. Although Poppy had been sorted into Ravenclaw and Minerva into Gryffindor they still remained close. Both were very good students but it is very unknown that the two were quite the trouble makers at Hogwarts. Minerva was clever and Poppy, well all of those years under her grandmother had enabled her with the true talent of telling a lie, a good one

4. It was not always that Poppy hated flying; she truly had once enjoyed the sport. That was until her third year when she had woken in St. Mungos after a horrid accident that had left her thoroughly chewed out by her Grandmother who "had to drop everything and rush to the bloody hospital because you are to bloody dimwitted to decline a ride on a childish broomstick. If you were not so much like your mother, she was rather stupid also! Oh no, Poppy, I simply could not allow you to die on my watch too!"

5. After her third year at Hogwarts, Poppy ran away from home. She simply could not bear her Grandmother any longer. Where else did she have to go besides her best friend's, so Poppy found her way to the McGonagall Manner where she was graciously welcomed. A few weeks later Theresa had showed up at the McGonagall's doorstep and asked to speak to her granddaughter privately. Poppy was shell-shocked to see her guardian bawling like she did that cool summers day in the hills of Scotland. Shocked to hear how much she was really cared for, how she had been fretted over, how much fear she had caused after that broom accident, how it could not be bared to lose her after losing Erika. Poppy felt love for her grandmother for the first time in a long time.

6. Poppy started to notice something strange going on with Minerva during their fifth year at Hogwarts. As perfects they had spent many late nights drowsily sharing secrets and after one rather juicy confession she could hardly suppress a laugh when she mentioned the name Dumbledore in front of her friend. Despite all of this Poppy did have to admit that Professor Dumbledore was rather handsome, and he was fairly young which made him slightly more appealing, especially to Minerva.

7. Minerva had her slightly older love interest and Poppy had hers. As a sixth year, Poppy was very much admired by her male classmates for her curvy figure and beautiful features. Determined not to succumb to any of her hormonal admirers and turn out like her mother she ran directly into exactly what she was hoping to avoid. He was a seventh year and the head boy. He was tall, dark, and handsome most of the female student body fancied him. He was strong and mysterious. Most of all he was a Slytherin. Who would have guessed that Tom Marvolo Riddle and Poppy Theresa Pomfrey would be such a pair, of course that was the point- no one guessed because no one knew. No person on the face of the Earth ever knew, not even Minerva. Hormones raging they had both given their virginity to each other the night before Tom graduated. That night Poppy had confessed her underlying devoted love to him only to watch him bound form the room, leaving her in the dark.

8. Poppy graduated Hogwarts with O's on all of her NEWTS except the Divination exam, Minerva had the same scores. They promised to keep in touch but took separate paths. Poppy's first plan was to start in France, and travel around the world but her Grandmother would "absolutely not have it!" Plan B was to attend Sydney's Fine Arts Academy in Australia to study music, it was true, Poppy did love to sing and she was very talented with it but again her grandmother shied her away from another dream so she settled on plan c to become a Mediwitch.

9. "Smile if it kills you!" was truly her life motto, her instructor sent her off every day with these words and a wide grin during her five years of St. Mungos training. He had told her that, although she was a gifted healer, she just did not connect with her patients. The truth was she could not handle seeing anyone in pain and being strangely unconnected with them made it a little easier every day. Still Poppy obeyed, she smiled and instead of causing her more pain she saw that most of the ill, injured and dying found comfort in this.

10. She was twenty-two when she completed her mediwitch training-at the top of her class at that- and was immediately offered a job in the maternity ward at St. Mungos. Here is where she realized that she would never have children; she made an oath to herself against it. The pain of watching the process was more than she could handle so the pain of the process might have killed her. Screaming at a woman to complete a nearly impossible task really was not her thing. Neither was the pain, the crying-the death that stood in the way of life- so Poppy retired from the Maternity ward after six months and moved on to Spell-Damage ward.

11. She was not overly surprised or overly excited to receive an invitation to become the matron of Hogwarts from Albus Dumbledore the associate headmaster himself. What could be more exciting than St. Mungos? With all the people, injuries, stories of adventure? Poppy had already written a polite letter declining his request and was about to send it to him when she received another letter. Familiar handwriting covered the envelope. It was from her friend Minerva McGonagall, writing to her about how excited she was to see her long lost friend again. How they would work together every day, how great it was to work in such a magical place. Long lost? Surely that was an over exaggeration. Had it been that long? Eight years, Poppy figured. "So much for keeping in touch." she muttered under her breath and picked up her denial letter looking over it carefully. Would she dare leave her beloved post? What lengths would she go to for her best friend? Minerva was her sister, not by blood of course but nevertheless- she would do anything to be in her company again. Poppy crumpled the letter in her hands and picked up her quill. "Dear Professor Dumbledore, I am extremely flattered at you offer and am most intrigued with your request..."

12. The first time she stepped through the doors of the Hospital Wing, her Hospital Wing she got a feeling in the pit of her stomach that she had not felt since her first training day at St. Mungos. Why should she be nervous, she, Poppy Pomfrey was nervous. Ha- nervous in the face of a bunch of school children with scrapped knees and runny noses. Nonsense.

13. No-Nonsense. That was her new motto, and although she hated to admit it she had to take her grandmothers approach, No-Nonsense. She had been absolutely and completely wrong in her assumption that Hogwarts students were easy. Easy did not cross her mind once in a day of treating misused spells, pranks, and occasional dark hexes nor did it cross her mind when she had to treat broken hearts, or listen to a child sob about his pet toad dying, even deal with the ragging girl drama. Poppy often found herself crying in her private quarters. Adults in pain were so much different than children in pain.

14. After a year at Hogwarts Minerva and Poppy had a renewed friendship, they had also invited a few other young colleagues into their circle. Pomona Sprout, who was twenty-seven, and the newest member of the staff, was a year older than Poppy and Minerva. Rolanda Hooch was quite a bit older than all three of them but she was still fairly young at thirty three. The group spent many nights together joking about students, talking about Pomona's upcoming wedding and Minerva's new muggle lover. Sometimes Poppy wished for a romantic interest upon hearing these stories but mentally shook herself. After Tom, how he had hurt her, the burden she had to carry with her now- she could never trust a man again-never love a man again.

15. McGonagall never married McGregor. It was quite the crushing blow. Sobbing loudly and shaking slightly Poppy was the first person Minerva had run too.  
"Why did you do that?" Poppy asked that night.  
"Because I love him."  
"Do you hear yourself, Minerva? If you love him then marry him." Poppy could not keep the exasperation out of her voice.  
"I can't! I can't possibly do that to somebody I love. I can't do what my mother did to my father. I can't change a man as perfect as he is. I can't make him a part time husband nor myself a part time wife. I can't put my possible children through what I have been through."  
Poppy held her best friend tighter her mind tracing back to the jealous woman Minerva called mother and the sad looking man, who looked as if he could have been alive at some point, she called father. Minerva truly was a Gryffindor.

16. A man by the name of Jonathan Hickory became the husband Poppy swore never to have. They had met in the face of death during the battle of Grindelwald. While most had used their skills to fight, Poppy had used hers to heal. She had saved his life and they were instantly connected as if it were truly meant to be. After a year of courtship, Poppy had agreed to become his wife. At the ages of thirty one and twenty nine the two were married connected by vows in beautiful Paris that Poppy could only learn to trust.

17. She decided that she would have her maiden name used while at school. She did not need her recently formed respect from the students to be altered. Even if she was now a married woman she was not a changed one, she would always be stern Madam Pomfrey, she was sure of that.

18. At the age of thirty she had broken yet another one of her vows. She bawled when she found out that she was pregnant, she did not want to suffer like she saw those women. She really did not need children, the students were always her own. Although Jonathan had wanted children he told her that whatever she decided to do he would support her. Poppy swore at her husband like she never had before. What did he expect her to do? Kill an unborn, innocent child, give one away? No this was not what she wanted.

19. Minerva had helped her accept the fact that she would have to go through possibly what she feared most...childbirth. In return Poppy had helped Minerva cope with the pain of McGregor's untimely death.

20. Poppy attended Minerva and Elphinstone's wedding, nine months along and absolutely exhausted. She had agreed to be Minerva's maid of honor months before and definitely regretted the decision on that day. Still Poppy was loyal and smiled even though it killed her.

21. John Jr. and Nicholas Hickory, Poppy's sons were born on the same day exactly two years apart. Poppy had mustered trough John's birth and as she expected, painful was a complete understatement but as soon as the screaming child was placed into her arms all the pain was forgotten and with this in mind carrying her second child was very much easier. Poppy and John were positivley mad about their son's and extremly proud to be the parents of a Ravenclaw and a Gryffindor.

22. She was deeply devastated when her old grandmother died. Although the two never truly got along losing the one who raised you is always hard.

23. Headmaster Dumbledore was instated at the start of her twelfth year as Hogwarts Matron. Although she would never admit it Poppy was very excited for this transition, she absolutely despised Headmaster Dippet, as did her husband, her children, Minerva, Elphinstone, and their son.

24. Around the time of her thirty ninth birthdays she noticed something had completely gone wrong with her Minerva. Poppy had to literally wrestle her and pin her to the castle floor to get it out of her. Minerva admitted it simply and plainly lying there. She hated who she was in her marriage. She did not want Elephantine, she wasn't even sure she still wanted McGregor, she knew who she wanted and it was no surprise to Poppy. "Albus- It's always been Albus"  
25. Poppy delivered Albus and Minerva's daughter, Athena. She had insisted that they were too old to have a child, at the age of forty three Minerva biological hourglass had run out but they were stubborn newlyweds positively crazy about each other, Albus positively crazy about Minerva's son and thanks to Poppy a beautiful baby girl was born.

26. Her first son John had married very young to a woman by the name of Sarah Wright. Her second son, Nicholas had married, "At a reasonable age" in Poppy's words, to a woman by the name of Athena Dumbledore.

27. Although she would never admit it, Poppy very much enjoyed the company of the Maurders, and their company she had in the hospital wing often. Dueling and pranking she had scolded them but usually found humor in their stories and their innocents and she selfishly wished she would see them more. But there was one thing she hated about the maurders, that they carried a werewolf in their pack. No doubt she had loved the boy, Remus Lupin was a good child but she hated how she could not help him. That she had to fix him every month only for it to happen again. That her usual drive to succeed, to achieve could not be fulfilled, that she had to be driven by the fact that she cared for him and that fact only. She had expected Lupin to be a large, harry, rude, Slytherin and had been completely wrong, but really was pleased to be. The first time she had to lead the boy to the Shrieking Shack was a horrid experience. She had left him there, pale, shaking and in pain, pain that would not cease for hours, pain that she could not fix. That night Poppy had barely made it back to her quarters before she fell to her knees, sobbing like a madwoman, unable to be comforted by anyone.

28. Throughout her years at Hogwarts she had turned a blind eye to the parade of girls that found themselves in the Hospital Wing awaiting a birth control potion, finding comfort that they had sense enough to protect themselves. In a school full of hormonal, tempted teenagers it was a wonder that there were only to reported pregnancies at Hogwarts in her time. The first was in 1961 a strange Hufflepuff sixth year by the name of Claudia Quinn who had told her "Oh, Poppy, you see Mother Nature has never quite been kind to me. Protection is not for women like me! I could not possibly contaminate my body with such antics! I say that if this is to be it will be! I will go with the flow, like a river flows down a hill. I will follow that path and understand wherever it takes me." Frankly Poppy was scared of the Claudia and her boyfriend, but as sixths years they did not return for a seventh and she was relieved to hear that they had given the child up to a "stable" family. Pomfrey was sorely disappointed in the second occurrence. It was 1979 and this very intelligent and respected girl had turned up. Her name was Morrie Sanders, seventh year Ravenclaw. Under Poppy's disappointed stare she had insisted that she was sure that she was careful and that she was in love. So Poppy reasoned with the girl, after all at one point Poppy herself did not want to be a mother herself and was sure she was careful but was in love and that had not stopped her. Over the course of Morrie's pregnancy they had become close, Poppy filled in as the Mother Morrie never had, and Morrie as the daughter Poppy never had. She was happy to attend both her wedding to Mr. Curtis Brown and shorty after the birth of Poppy's beautiful goddaughter, Lavender Poppy Brown.

29. Her husband, John, had been an Auror and therefore been one of the first people Voldemort that Tom had murdered. Poppy had wept for days, Minerva by her side and as the first Wizarding War began, Poppy had shooed her grandchildren, her son's, and both her pregnant daughter-in-laws off to America, where they would be safe... for then.

30. She had also enjoyed the company of hot-headed Lily Evans and was very sorry to hear of her death, very, very sorry to hear of her husband's death and absolutely mortified to hear of their son's survival. Not that she was not glad that he had lived and that he had rid the world of that wretched man but what he must have been trough, what he would go through, deeply saddened her.

31. She never believed that young Sirius Black sold the Potter's out or had killed anyone for that matter, but no one seemed to second her theory, maybe Dumbledore, but he always seemed to have a way of avoiding the topic.

32. When her family arrived back from America, she cried and cried. She was not sure if her tears were from relief, happiness, sadness, all the deaths, the lives destroyed, her two new grandchildren or Harry Potter who she was so reminded of in her grandsons.  
33. She had never been more embarrassed in her life than Christmas Eve of 1981. Minerva, Rolanda, Pomona and her had attended the annual staff party and ended up incredibly drunk. So drunk that in the morning, Poppy could not remember what happened, neither could the other three. She was sure she had said or done something completely foolish because Fliuis gave her a wide grin every time they made eye contact for a year after that and Irma gave her a good Irma-glare from then on out every time they ran into each other. Honestly though she had to cut herself some slack- that was the first Christmas they were allowed to have fun in years.

34. She had tried to resign many times at Hogwarts, but she had never been more serious than the time when she busted into the headmasters office a few days after Harry Potter had come to Hogwarts.  
"If you don't get that boy away from those dreadful muggles immediately I shall feel obliged to resign, Dumbledore, as soon as tomorrow if necessary!" She screeched upon entering and shaking her finger.  
"Ah, Poppy, resigning again?" he asked as if they were talking of the weather, his tone light almost humored.  
"Albus! Listen to me, I cannot have this! This boy has been beaten, he's been positively torchured!" her voice cracked with furry and the twinkle left those piercing blue eyes of his.  
"Poppy, he is safe there-"  
"SAFE" the words came as a strangled laugh. "Are you quite sure?" her voice became laced with sarcasm.  
"Safe in the sense that Voldemort cannot get to him. There is nothing I can do." He replied neutrally, almost mockingly.  
Poppy slammed her fists hard on his desk."That man is dead, dead in hell where he should be, where he deserves to be!" she seethed but the headmaster merely shook his head "You are off your rocker Albus Dumbledore, you are a bloody fool!" the castle might have shook under her wrath but the man in front of her remained impassive. "Relinquish me from my duties then, Headmaster! I shall be gone by the morning."  
He stood quickly. "And where shall you go, Poppy? What shall you do? You love these children as your own. Would you dare leave them because I am protecting a child? Could you possibly leave him?"  
Her chest heaved violently, he was right he was always right but... "It's not fair, Albus! It's simply not right!" her hands loosened from white-knuckled fists.  
"You are absolutely right, Poppy. It is not fair."

35. She drew curtains around the petrified students, not because they needed privacy but because she could not hardly look at them. She had been one of the Prefects strolling the halls that night that girl was murdered the first time and looking into their stoned features brought back so many unwelcomed memories. Plus Argus Filch constantly came to sit with his cat and did it moaning and weeping about which positively drove her up the wall, she had even once let her rather firery temper get the better of her and yelled/told him "That is a damned cat, Filch!"

36. She was absolutely infuriated by the dementors, Albus, had sent to protect the school. Calming draughts practically flew off the shelves. One first year, who was positivley hysterical, had even gotten on his knees and begged her to let him go home. Luckily, Poppy was a mother and was a damned good maternal figure for every child at the school. She found, that in some cases (especially those of crying first year Hufflepuff boys), that her coddling, a good cry, and a bone crushing hug was the most effective treatment.

37. When Alastor Moodey became Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher at Hogwarts, Poppy noticed something was wrong. Her critical eye registered that he was under the influence of some potion. Whether it was an addiction or medication he needed for one of his many, many injuries, she could not determine. She watched him closely for the next few months and finally took the matter to Dumbledore. He had not thought a thing about it, told Poppy not to worry, and sent her off back to her hospital wing. Later that year Poppy had to deal with the body of Cedric Diggory, she could not look Albus in the eye. He was a good man, but even the "The Greatest Wizard of All Time" had faults.

38. Poppy, along with the majority of the staff and student population, despised Delores Umbridge. Umbridge had rid the school of Albus, instated at least two-hundred new school rules, used blood quills and most of all nearly killed her best friend Minerva McGonagall. Poppy had kept vigil at her bedside and when Minerva finally awoke her first words to her were "I do think I shall have to give her neck a good tight strangle, Minerva. Merlin knows she needs it!"

39. Poppy was less than pleased to hear that Horace Slughorn would be returning out of retirement to teach potions. She really had never liked the man especially after he had snooped around and found out there was a werewolf at Hogwarts so many years back. He would not stop pestering her about it, gave her a different list of names everyday for nearly four years, but every time she had fixed him with one of her neutral stares and to the day he still did not know that Remus Lupin was the one he was still seeking.

40. Although they had their ups and downs, Poppy was distraught to hear of Dumbledore's death. She had sobbed with Minerva for what seemed like two days straight and was sure she cried had more when Albus died than when her husband did. She did love John more than Albus of course but Dumbledore meant so much more to so many people, he was a sort of hope during those dark times and now that he was gone killed by a man he trusted, that Poppy had once trusted, things seemed even more bleak.

41. It made her sick to her stomach to hear that Severus Snape would be the new headmaster of Hogwarts. Poppy had once loved, poor little, Severus, as her own son. After he killed Dumbledore, she was sure that if she was given the chance she would not hesitate to knee him where it really counts. Her friends had no objection to her temper then for Minerva, Rolanda, and Pomona shared her fury and utter detest.

42. She knew the students who ran Potter watch, and she knew because she listened. Of course it was horribly dangerous to be doing with those blasted Carrows floating around but she could not stop herself. Every night, silencing charm cast around her quarters she would listen, listen to the deaths, the plots, and of course for the whereabouts of Harry Potter.

43. She knew the end was drawling near when she heard news that Harry Potter, Hermione Granger, and Ronald Weasley had broken into Gringotts and gotten out by a freed dragon. Poppy was ready for the blow, she had mentally prepared herself for the suffering ahead. She packed her medical supplies and was ready to apperate any time. Little did she know that she would not be traveling very far.

44. Choas. Complete and utter Chaos. Evacuate the student population under the age of seventeen...Ha, Minerva's orders, bloody idiot. The first, second and third years were the easiest willing to follow directions and willing to go. It was the rest of them she had problems with. Some children decided to have panic attacks out in the middle of the halls, some refused to move and were convinced that they would stay to fight and others merely ignored her and Professor Flitwick's commands out of pure shock. In short words this was a time that Poppy deemed a physical approach necessary.

45. Collin Creevey died with her at his side. Poppy had tried to revive him for more than an hour before she pulled away covering her eyes with a blood stained hand and shaking her head blinking back threatening tears. "Damn it." she muttered to herself.

46. Poppy's agony deepened when she saw a fellow healer shake his head over Remus Lupin's body and another over Nymphadora Tonks. They had just had a baby and now they were dead. There was nothing more that she wanted in that moment than no more war.

47. Her son, John had nearly died in battle, just like his father. Poppy had saved his life wishing desperately for him not to leave her to. Although John Jr. did not lose his life that day he did lose a leg.

48. Once the parties had ceased and the tears of joy stopped flowing, Poppy started in France and toured the world, but with Minerva and Pomona at her side, for Rolanda had died right there in the Great Hall that fatefull day. After the war had ended she figured she did not have much time, that life was too short and needed to be valued more so during the year Hogwarts was being reconstructed they set out with heavy hearts and did just everything they wanted to do.

49. Pomfrey set the record, in the schools 1100 year history, for longest career at Hogwarts and at the ripe age of 105 she handed the torch to her second eldest granddaughter, Minerva, daughter of Athena and Nicholas.

50. Poppy died the day after Minerva did. Her 150 year old heart could not handle the blow. The many Pomfrey's had all agreed to bury her beside John Hickory.

I've been wanting to do this forever so I finally did. I think its ok, its way longer than I anticipated. I might do one for Minerva but I'm not sure. I realize some of the events don't line up correctly but this is my story so... anyways please review and thanks for reading.


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